The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey

Research the time period of the expedition (early 1900s) and the culture of exploration prevalent at the time. How does Roosevelt’s expedition compare to wider trends of exploration in that era? How did his expedition compare to, or differ from, that of other famous explorers?

While Roosevelt’s expedition spoke to his love of adventure, it was also an expedition with a strong scientific value. How does Millard present the scientific side of the expedition? What were some of the scientific achievements of the undertaking?

Millard speaks at length about the poor preparation and the general ignorance of the South American landscape amongst the American expedition members. How does Millard address the flaws and weaknesses of the expedition? How does she balance an assessment of these shortcomings against her depiction of the expedition as an impressive undertaking?